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For most conspicuous bravery on 13th December, when in command of the Submarine B11, he entered the Dardanelles, and, notwithstanding the very difficult current, dived his vessel under five rows of mines and torpedoed the Turkish Battleship "Messudiyeh"

By the time the Holland's and the A class submarines had come from the berths at Barrow and entered service, the Royal Navy's Submarine Service - every man a volunteer, by the way - had become accustomed to dicing with death.

Events

Lieutenant Holbrook took the HMS B-11 up the Dardanelles, probably the most heavily defended waterway in the world at the time. B-11 was, even by the standards of the First World War, a small (300 ton), under-powered (225hp electric motor) and obsolete boat dating back to 1905 and the early days of submarine development. The compass was actually mounted outside the hull and viewed through a small glass in the conning tower.

Despite the treacherous current in the Straits, Holbrook successfully got through a minefield to torpedo the Turkish battleship Messudiyeh. He then managed to return safely down the Dardanelles, despite coming under fire from shore batteries and enemy torpedo boats. B-11 had been submerged for no less than nine hours - a remarkable achievement in such a primitive craft. Holbrook was awarded the Submarine Services first Victoria Cross.

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Change Class

Boats In Class

B Specification

Length overall

142' 2.5"

Beam

12' 7"

Draught

11' 2"

Displacement

Surface 287 tons

Submerged 316 tons

Diving Depth

100'

Speed

Surface 7 knots (design)

Surface 6.5 knots (service)

Submerged 13 to 13.5 knots (design)

Submerged 12 knots (service)

No. of shafts

1

Propeller

3 blades, 5' diameter

Armament

2 18" bow torpedo tubes (4 torpedoes carried)

Endurance

Surface: 1300 miles at 9 knots (design)

Surface: 740 miles at full power (service)

Submerged: 22.5 miles

Complement

15

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